Still not sold? Keep watching this space for news about the audiobook, the graphic novel, the upcoming big-budget movie! (Not that I’m sure any of those things are happening, but, if they are, you’ll hear about them here first…)Still not sold? Keep watching this space for news about the audiobook, the graphic novel, the upcoming big-budget movie! (Not that I’m sure any of those things are happening, but, if they are, you’ll hear about them here first…)

“We all read books through the lenses of our own lives. SWINDLER & SON: A HEIST MISADVENTURE has the elements I’d expect from a Ted Krever novel: impeccably researched with delicious word-play and biting social commentary. (Oh, the ending. THE ENDING!!!)

“It makes excellent use of the interview format while sustaining the action and elements of adventure, which I won’t reveal.

“Where I connected with the story was through the protagonist. Nicky is a guy I’d just love to be. Able to clock people’s needs and deliver on them. Mastering chess-like strategies to stay ahead and building them into full-proof systems. And then, when something happens to pull all those systems out from under your feet, having enough life-experience and quick observation skills to scramble for solutions.

“He dwells in his grief, insecurities and imperfections and gets the job done anyway. I would gladly live with these characters again in a sequel.” – Doug Shapiro on Amazon

“The subtitle of the book, “A Heist Misadventure,” sums it up perfectly. The narrator, Nicky Marsh, is partners in a firm that’s nicknamed Swindler & Son. The nickname of the firm should give you a good idea of what they are — con men.

“It’s Christmas and life sucks for Nicky. He’s been mugged on his way home and finds his way to his apartment blocked by high-end police looking for him. That’s before the plot thickens.

“Over the course of only a couple of days, Nicky’s attempts to prove his innocence, get to the bottom of who framed him, and make things right involve him with a rogue’s gallery of great characters, improbable situations, and delightful vignettes.

It was the night before Christmas and Nicky Marsh (a.k.a Sandler) is approached by a spy in the form of Millard Hastings at Sandler and Son’s year end function (insiders know this semi-legit shipping company as Swindler and Son)hosted by the inimitable Harry Sandler, or senior swindler.

Less than 24 hours after that, Marsh is running for his life (not literally… this is still Paris) from the French Police. His soon to be ex-wife Sara is thrown into the fray with him, again, not literally, these are French kidnappers.

Nick’s main priority is finding Harry to sort out the mess with the police but Harry is gone, plus it looks like he might be developing dementia. Harry’s lover, a useful computer geek is also looking for the senior swindler. And that’s just the beginning of it.

A few days later and the group are now running for their lives (literally) in a country where the penal code includes the chopping off of hands that steal. Or swindle.

Nicky plays the game the only way he knows how, by playing Harry’s Rules. He did not stack it or rig it or choose the players but he must play and play to win, or everyone dies. No. Really. I’m not being over dramatic. Everyone on the Arabian Peninsula – will die.

TED KREVER does not let us down, he hits the ground running and doesn’t let the reader catch a breath until the very end. The book is presented in the interesting (and in this case – fitting) format of an interview (read interrogation). If it hadn’t been we would have missed Harry’s Rules and I’m beginning to think that politicians could be playing by these rules as well.

Not that I’m comparing politicians and people of influence to swindlers… I would never do that.

Mr. Krever’s has a phenomenal plot with a horrific idea thrown in for good measure. However, the heart of the book is about love, don’t let the amount of guns and ammunition certain soldiers are carrying fool you. This is about a son’s love for his not-father and a couple who richotet (bad, really bad choice of words) off each other better than they would off a wall.

Told you. Really bad choice of words. And when all is said and swindled… That’s about all Nicky has to keep his head on his neck. Words.

I loved Krever’s characters, they are all created with heart and jolly good humour, before they diverge into their different skins. Like all good authors, I didn’t have to try to read a character, the character was shown to me.

The research and descriptions of places and objects are (happiness is within my grasp) 100% correct, I checked, he did his research good… But all the research in the world doesn’t help if you can’t put it together in a coherent story, and KREVER has done so, very well indeed.

I rate this book 5 stars with a strong recommendation to begin reading in the morning because you won’t put it down until you reach the end.